1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to typewriter cabinets, and more particularly typewriter cabinets which conceal a typewriter when it is not being used and allow the typewriter to be quickly raised to a level position for use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typewriters are usually very heavy, expensive machines which in many cases are only occasionally used, especially when they are used in a home, rather than at a commercial establishment. It is therefore highly desirable that storage space be available which adequately protects a typewriter when it is not in use. Due to the heavy weight and high degree of fragility of an ordinary typewriter, it is also desirable that it be readily and easily moveable from such a storage space to a suitable location for use by a typist. Since lifting of a typewriter tends to produce stresses on delicate, precision mechanical components of the machine, it is desirable that the typewriter be stored, when not in use, from a location from which it can be retrieved and moved to a suitable use location without manually lifting the typewriter. This would avoid possible damage to the typewriter due to internal stresses or dropping of the typewriter and would also avoid the possibility of strained muscles or similar injury to the person lifting the typewriter.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a typewriter cabinet having a receding typewriter support which maintains the typewriter in a protected location when the typewriter is not in use and which moves a typewriter into a raised, level, stable use position without requiring manual lifting the typewriter.
One solution to the problem of storing typewriters has been simply to provide wood or metal typewriter stands which hold a typewriter at a convenient height for use by a typist. When the typewriter is not in use, a cloth or flexible plastic cover is placed over the typewriter. However, fabric or flexible plastic covers are rather unattractive and do not provide any significant protection to the typewriter other than to keep dust off of it. Further, the support surface cannot be used for any other purpose even when the typewriter is not in use.
Accordingly, another object of the invention is to provide an attractive typewriter cabinet which stores a typewriter in a protected, hidden interior location of the cabinet and which rapidly and automatically lifts the typewriter into a raised, level position with a minimal amount of exertion by a person who wishes to use the typewriter.
A variety of cabinets and desks having moveable shelves for supporting typewriters have been proposed. However, all of them have suffered from various shortcomings, including the shortcomings of being large and bulky, of requiring that a typewriter be bolted to a moveable support surface, of having hinging mechanisms and guide mechanisms which are complex, of having tendencies to bind, of being generally unreliable, and of requiring an undue amount of effort by the user to lift the typewriters from hidden locations to a use location.
Accordingly, another object of the invention is to provide a compact, low cost typewriter cabinet having a simple, reliable mechanism for raising a typewriter from a recessed position to a raised, level use position with minimal effort by the user.
A novelty search directed to the present invention uncovered the following patents, which are believed to be illustrative of the state of the art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 410,470; 654,974; 1,364,917; 1,398,618; 1,754,303; 1,994,742; 2,125,777; 3,537,110 and 3,707,316.